Effects of personal and interpersonal factors on changes of food choices and physical activity among college students

Abstract

BackgroundHealth behaviors developed in the college years tend to persist in adulthood. However, distinct changing patterns of food choices and physical activity (PA) and their predictors are still less clear among college students. The current study sought to explore changes of food choices and PA, as well as the effects of personal and interpersonal factors.MethodTwo-wave longitudinal data was collected from a sample of 431 Chinese college students (Mean baseline age = 19.15 ± 0.61 years; 45.7% male). A validated self-reported food frequency questionnaire was used to assess the frequency of food choices. The Chinese revised version of physical activity rating scale was used to assess physical activity. Latent profile analysis, latent transition analysis, and multinomial logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the data.ResultsTwo profiles of food choices, i.e.,Avoiding staples(5.1% at Time 1) andVaried diet(94.9% at Time 1), were identified at both timepoints. 90.9% remained the same profiles over time, 63.6% participants in theAvoiding staplesprofile shifted to theVaried dietprofile, and only 6.3% of those in theVaried dietprofile shifted to theAvoiding staplesprofile. Negative body shape-related belief was related to the translation from theVaried dietprofile to theAvoiding staplesprofile. Further, four profiles of PA, i.e.,Inactives(51.0% at Time 1),Low activies(26.0% at Time 1),Moderate activies(15.3% at Time 1), andActivies(7.7% at Time 1), were identified at both timepoints. 50.8% remained the same profiles over time, 38.6%Inactiviesshifted to the other profiles, and 48.5%Activiesshifted to the other profiles over time. Participants with higher self-efficacy showed an increase in PA over time, and those with lower self-efficacy and lower peer support showed a decrease in PA over time.ConclusionsOverall, most of college students remained the same food choices profiles, and body shape-related belief contributed to changes in food choices profiles. About half of college students experienced changes in PA, and the predictors of such changes were peer support and self-efficacy. The findings extend the understanding of the personal and interpersonal predictors of health behaviors among college students from a dynamic perspective.